A grandmother who has led a campaign to get our street lights turned back on finally had her chance to address councillors about her fears.

After more than 2,200 people signed a petition opposing the turning off of street lights in the borough, Gravesham council held a debate on Kent County Council’s initiative on Tuesday night at the Civic Centre, Gravesend.

The petition was set up by 51-year-old grandmother Tina Brooker, of The Warren, Gravesend, who has been campaigning for the lights to come back on for several months.

It triggered a debate at the council and allowed her to make a speech at the full council meeting.

She told members: “Not one resident was aware of a consultation ever having taken place, and they would not have agreed to this policy. Street lighting is very important to them.

“I am the Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator for The Warren and a couple of weeks after the blackouts started one of my disabled neighbours visited me and told me that she had suffered an attempted break-in to her property at around 2.30am, after lights out.

“She has lived on this road for 13 years without incident and then the lights go out and a few weeks later this happens.

“All of these incidents are having a negative impact on people’s lives, this is obviously becoming a major problem and one that must be addressed..." - Tina Brooker.

“Since this incident she has been taken to hospital by ambulance on five separate occasions and has been put on a cardiac monitor on each occasion. She truly believes this was as a result of her ordeal.

“I wrote to KCC informing them of this incident and asking that at least half of our nine street lights be relit for residents’ safety.

“I was appalled to receive a standard response refusing this request and finishing with a final paragraph: ‘I acknowledge that a minority will be a little inconvenienced’.

“How could I tell my neighbour that her terrifying ordeal was nothing more than a minor inconvenience? This is what has brought me in front of you all today.”

She continued: “There have been spates of shed and garage break-ins – 10 in one night in one area – police came out and issued residents with shed and garage alarms.

“A milk float has been attacked in the early hours, there has been vandalism to numerous vehicles, intruders in people’s back gardens.

“The police have confirmed to KCC that the fear of crime is growing in the borough, this is very disabling and of major concern to the police.

“All of these incidents are having a negative impact on people’s lives, this is obviously becoming a major problem and one that must be addressed.

“With regards to road safety issues, the AA, RAC and Rospa (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) have all voiced their concern over unlit roads.

“The AA issued a statement which concluded that 324 extra deaths and serious injuries have occurred at night on unlit stretches of road.

"KCC state they have had to make these cuts in order to keep our front line services running. Well, to residents, street lights are a front line service, they increase personal safety and well-being and give them a greater quality of life.

“The emergency services are a front line service who, due to lack of street lighting, are unable to carry out their duties effectively.

“Street lights in the modern world are a necessity, people’s lives and work patterns have changed and as a result we are not all safely tucked up in bed by midnight.

“Residents feel that they have had a curfew imposed upon them and are fearful for themselves and their families. Their view is we pay for our street lights and we want them back, please.

“So today, on behalf of Gravesham residents, I ask that our street lights be reinstated, while a more intelligent solution is sought.”

After Tina Brooker had finished her speech, councillors brought forward a motion that would see them “demand” the lights in Gravesham be turned back on.

The motion, which was passed, will see Gravesham council “demand” the lights back on between midnight and 5.30am for “personal safety and security of properties.”

An amended version of the motion - essentially watered down - asked councillors to consider that if there was “clear evidence to support their case”, Gravesham would “call upon KCC to implement its agreed procedure to review the street light policy”.

There then ensued a two hour debate on the matter which heard from Cllr Colin Caller (Lab), who said: “The consultation was woefully inadequate. Had the public been listened to, we probably wouldn’t be debating this today.”

But Cllr Harold Craske (Con) disagreed and said it was an “overreaction” to turn all the lights back on, and he supported the amended motion that asked for “clear evidence” in determining whether they should be put back on.

Council leader John Burden (Lab) described it as a “do nothing motion”.

He said: “We’re talking about people’s lives here, we’re not talking about how many burglaries there’s been here, whether someone’s been attacked – that seems to be the sort of evidence KCC wants.

“I don’t see why we should be collecting this evidence, what we should be doing is putting the lights back on. I’m not willing to put people’s lives above this action.”

During the vote, 16 councillors voted for the amendment, 24 against.

When it came to voting for the original motion, 24 were in favour and there were 17 abstentions.